| The 10th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference: Knowledge and
Morality for the Progress of Ummah |
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16-18
October 2003
Putrajaya, Malaysia
The Organisation of
Islamic Conference (OIC) was established in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco on 25 September
1969, in answer to the call for Islamic solidarity made by the late King Faisal Ibn
Abdulaziz of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On this day, the first meeting of the leaders of
the Islamic world was held.
In March 1970, in
Jeddah, the First Islamic Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs set up a permanent
General Secretariat to ensure a liaison and coordinated action among Member States. The
Conference appointed its Secretary General and chose Jeddah as the Headquarters of the
Organization, pending the liberation of Jerusalem, which would be the permanent
Headquarters.
In February 1972,
the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, meeting in its Third Session, adopted the
Charter of the Organization, whose purpose is to strengthen solidarity and cooperation
among Islamic States in the political, economic, cultural, scientific and social fields.
Today, the OIC
unites 57 states, from Africa to Asia and the Pacific, within one framework of a single
international organization. Not all the states are "Islamic nations"- some have
very little Muslim population- but all have agreed to come together to pool resources
together, to combine their efforts, to share experience and expertise, and to speak with
one voice.
The 10th
OIC summit is particularly significant in the light of reconstruction efforts in post-war
Iraq, the relentless aggression of Israel against Palestine and the long-standing
Arab-Israeli conflict.
The theme, "Knowledge
and Morality for the Progress of Ummah", aptly reminds not only member states and
their delegates but all followers of the Summit at large, of the importance of acquiring
knowledge and maintaining a sense of honour as ingredients for a progressive Muslim
community.
The Summit will be a
historic one, as this will be the first time it is hosted by a Muslim nation in the Asia
Pacific region.
The 10th
Summit, together with its accompanying meetings and conferences, will offer a perfect
opportunity for member states to develop or further strengthen linkages and cooperation,
for the common benefit of the ummah.
The Summit itself
will be the focal point for the convergence of ideas and opportunities, values, culture
and history. It is set to draw new inspirations from the meeting of great minds at the
peaceful and panoramic new city of Putrajaya, Malaysia.
Source:
Official Website of the 10th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference
(http://www.oic-oci.org) |
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| Profile of OIC member nantions and observer states |
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| OIC Member Nations The Organization of Islamic
States (OIC) is the largest explicitly Islamic inter-state organization representing
one-third of the world’s three billion population. Formed in 1969 with an original
membership of 30 countries, the OIC now has 57 member nations. While second only to the UN
in size, the OIC, is not considered an economic power. Politically diverse and ethically
fragmented, the OIC is made up of an array of traditional, moderate and radical camps.
Also, a quick review of the profile of the members would reveal a sizeable fraction of
non-Muslim religious groups. Depicted in the table below are the respective profiles of
member-nations, based on their type of government, population, ethnic grouping and
composition of major religions.
MEMBER STATES |
GOVERNMENT |
POPULATION |
ETHNIC
GROUPS |
MAJOR RELIGIONS |
| Afghanistan |
In Transition |
25,824,882 |
Pashtun 35%,
Tajik 25%, Hazara 19%, Uzbek 6% |
Sunni Muslim 84%,
Shi’a Muslim 15% |
| Albania |
Republic |
3,364,571 |
Albanians 95%;
Greek 3% |
Muslim 70%,
Albanian Orth. 20%, Rom. Cath. 10% |
| Algeria |
Republic |
31,133,486 |
Arab-Berber 99% |
Sunni Muslim
(state religion) 99% |
| Azerbaijan |
Republic |
7,908,224 |
Azeri 90%,
Degestani Peoples 3%, Russian 2.5%, Armenian 2% |
Muslim 93%,
Orthodox 5% |
| Bahrain |
Traditional
Monarchy |
629,090 |
Bahraini 63%,
Asian 13%, other Arab 10%, Iranian 8% |
Shi’a Muslim
75%, Sunni Muslim 25% |
| Bangladesh |
Parliamentary
Dem. |
127,117,967 |
Bengali 98% |
Muslim 88%, Hindu
11% |
| Benin |
Republic |
6, 305,567 |
African 99% |
Indigenous
beliefs 70%, Muslim 15%, Christian 15% |
| Brunei Darussalam |
Sultanate |
322,982 |
Malay 64%,
Chinese 20% |
Muslim (official)
63%, Buddhist 14%, Christian 8% |
| Burkina Faso |
Republic |
11,575,898 |
Mossi 24%,
Gurunsi, Senufo, Lob, Bobo, Mande, Fulani |
Muslim 50%,
Indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 10% |
| Cameroon |
Republic |
15,456,092 |
Cameroon
Highlander 31%, Equitorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani 10%, NW Bantu 8% |
Indigenous
beliefs 51%, Christian 33%, Muslim 16% |
| Chad |
Republic |
7,557,436 |
Sara 28%, Sudanic
Arab 12%, others |
Muslim 50%,
Christian 25%, Indigenous beliefs 25% |
| Comoros |
In Transition |
562,783 |
Antalote, Cafre,
Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava |
Sunni Muslim 86%,
Roman Catholic 14% |
| Djibouti |
Republic |
447,,439 |
Somali 60%, Afar
35% |
Muslim 94%,
Christian 6% |
| Egypt |
Republic |
67,273,906 |
Eastern Hamitic
stock (Egyptian, Bedouin, Berber) 99% |
Sunni Muslim 94%,
Coptic Christian and others 6% |
| Gabon |
Republic |
1,225,853 |
Fang, Eshira,
Bapounou, Bateke, other Bantu, other Africans, Europeans |
Christian 55%-75% |
| Gambia |
Republic |
1,336,320 |
Mandinka 42%,
Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, other Africans |
Muslim 90%,
Christian 9% |
| Guinea |
Republic |
7,538,953 |
Peuhl 40%,
Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller tribes 10% |
Muslim 85%,
Christian 8% |
| Guinea-Bissau |
In Transition |
1,234,555 |
Balanta 30%, Fula
20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13% |
Indigenous
beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5% |
| Guyana |
Republic |
705,156 |
East Indian 49%,
black 32%, Mixed 12% Amerindian 6% |
Indigenous
beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5% |
| Indonesia |
Republic |
216,108,345 |
Javanese 45%,
Sundanese 14%, Madurese 8%, Malay 8% |
Muslim 87%,
Protestant 6% |
| Iran |
Islamic Republic |
65,179,752 |
Persian 51%,
Azerbaijani 24%, Kurd 7% |
Shi’a Muslim
89%, Sunni Muslim 10% |
| Iraq |
Republic |
22,427,150 |
Arab 75-80%, Kurd
15-20%, Turkoman |
Shi’a Muslim
60-65%, Sunni Muslim 32-37% |
| Jordan |
Const. Monarchy |
4,561,147 |
Arab 98% |
Sunni Muslim 96%,
Christian 4% |
| Kazakhstan |
Republic |
16,824,825 |
Kazakh 46%,
Russian 35%, Ukrainian 5% |
Muslim 47%,
Russian Orthodox 44% |
| Kuwait |
Constitutional
Monarchy |
1,991,115 |
Kuwaiti 45%,
other Arab 35% |
Muslim 85% |
| Kyrgyz Republic |
Republic |
4,546,055 |
Kyrgyz 52%,
Russian 18%, Uzbek 13% |
Muslim 75%,
Russian Orthodox 20% |
| Lebanon |
Republic |
3,562,699 |
Arab 95%,
Armenian 4% |
Islam 70%,
Christian 30% |
| Libya |
Islamic Socialist
State |
4,992,838 |
Arab-Berber 97% |
Sunni Muslim 97% |
| Malaysia |
Const. Monarchy |
21,376,066 |
Malay and other
indigenous 58%, Chinese 26%, Indian 7% |
Muslim, Hindu,
Buddhist, Christian, Tribal |
| Maldives |
Republic |
300,220 |
Sinhalese,
Dravidian, Arab, African |
Sunni Muslim |
| Mali |
Republic |
10,429,124 |
Mande 50%, Peul
17%, Voltaic 12%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, Songhai 6% |
Muslim 90%,
Indigenous beliefs 9% |
| Mauritania |
Islamic Republic |
2,581,738 |
Mixed Maur/ black
40%, Maur 30%, Black 30% |
Muslim 100% |
| Morocco |
Const. Monarchy |
29,661,636 |
Arab-Berber 99% |
Sunni Muslim 99% |
| Mozambique |
Republic |
19,124,335 |
Indigenous tribal
groups |
Indigenous
beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20% |
| Niger |
In Transition |
9,962,242 |
Hausa 56%, Djerma
22%, Fula 9%, Tuareg 8% |
Muslim 80% |
| Nigeria |
Republic |
113,828,587 |
Hausa, Yoruba,
Ibo, Fulani, others |
Muslim (in N)
50%, Christian (in S) 40% |
| Oman |
Absolute Monarchy |
2,446,645 |
Omani Arab 74%,
Indian 13% |
Ibadhi Muslim 75% |
| Pakistan |
In Transition |
138,123,359 |
Punjabi, Sindhi,
Pashtun, Baloch |
Sunni Muslim 77%,
Shi’a Muslim 20% |
| Qatar |
Taraditional
Monarchy |
723,542 |
Arab 40%,
Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10% |
Muslim 95% |
| Saudi Arabia |
Monarchy |
21,504,613 |
Arab 90%,
Afro-Asian 10% |
Muslim 100% |
| Senegal |
Republic |
10,051,930 |
Wolof 36%, Fulani
17%, Serer 17%, Diola 9%, Toucouleur 9%, Mandingo 9% |
Muslim 92%,
Indigenous beliefs 6%, Christian 2% |
| Sierra Leone |
Republic |
5,296,651 |
Temne 30%, Mende
30%, other tribes 30% |
Muslim 60%,
Indigenous beleifs 30%, Christian 10% |
| Somalia |
In Transition |
7,140,643 |
Somali 85%,
Bantu, Arab |
Sunni Muslim |
| Sudan |
Republic |
34,475,690 |
Black 52%, Arab
39%, Beja 6% |
Sunni Muslim 70%,
Indigenous beleifs 25% |
| Suriname |
Republic |
431,156 |
Hindustani 37%,
Creole 31%, Javanese 15% |
Hindu 27%,
Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 23%, Muslim 20% |
| Syria |
Democracy |
22,113,250 |
Arab 90% |
Sunni Muslim 74%
other Muslims 16%, Christian 10% |
| Tajikistan |
Republic |
6,102,854 |
Tajik 65%, Uzbek
25% |
Sunni Muslim 80% |
| Togo |
Republic |
5,081,413 |
Ewe, Mina, Kabre,
others |
Indigeneous
beliefs 70%, Christian 20%, Muslim 10% |
| Tunisia |
Republic |
9,513,603 |
Arab-Berber 98% |
Muslim 98% |
| Turkey |
Republic |
65,599,206 |
Turk 80%, Kurd
20% |
Muslim 10% |
| Turkmenistan |
Republic |
4,366,383 |
Turkmen 77%,
Uzbek 9%, Russian 7% |
Muslim 89%,
Eastern Orthodox 9% |
| Uganda |
Republic |
22,804,973 |
Baganda 17%,
Karamojong 12%, others |
Protestant 33%,
Roman Catholic 33%, Indigenous beliefs 18%, Muslim 16% |
| United Arab
Emirates |
Federation |
2,344,402 |
Arab, Iranian,
Pakistani, Indian |
Muslim 96%,
Christian, Hindu |
| Uzbekistan |
Republic |
24,102,473 |
Uzbek 80%,
Russian 6%, Tajik 5% |
Sunni Muslim 88%,
Eastern Orthodox 9% |
| Yemen |
Republic |
16,942,230 |
Predominantly
Arab, some Afro-Arab, South Asian |
Mostly Muslim
(Sha’fi-Sunni, Zaydi-Shi’a) |
OIC Observer States
The relevance of the OIC can
be seen in the continuing interest of other countries to acquire membership status or to
become observers. Depicted below are the respective profiles of the four current OIC
observer states:
| OBSERVER
STATES |
GOVERNMENT |
POPULATION |
ETHNIC GROUPS |
MAJOR RELIGIONS |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina |
Republic |
3,482,495 |
Serb 40%, Muslim
38%, Croat 22% |
Muslim 40%,
Orthodox 31%, Catholic 15% |
| Central African
Republic |
Republic |
3,444,951 |
Baya 34%, Banda
27%, Mandjia 21%, Sara 10% |
Protestant 25%,
Roman Catholic 25%, Indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim 15% |
| Cote
d’Ivoire |
Republic |
15,818,068 |
Baoule 23%, Bele
18%, Senoufou 15%, Malinke 11%, Agni, foreign Africans |
Muslim 60%,
Indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 12% |
| Thailand |
Constitutional
Monarchy |
60,609,046 |
Thai 75%, Chinese
14% |
Buddhist 95%,
Muslim 4% |
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